with the history of an eminent author, ought not to be disappointed; as it proceeds not from mere curiofity, but chiefly from affection and gratitude to those by whom they have been entertained and instructed.

To give some account of a deceased friend is often a piece of justice likewife, which ought not to be refused to his memory; to prevent or efface the impertinent fictions which officious Biographers are so apt to collect and propagate. And we may add, that the circumftances of an author's life will fometimes throw the beft light upon his writings; inftances whereof we shall meet with in the following pages.

Mr. Thomson was born at Ednam, in the fhire of Roxburgh, on the 11th of September, in the year 1700. His father, minister of that place, was but little known beyond the narrow circle of his co-prefbyters, and to a few gentlemen in the neighbourhood; but highly respected by them, for his piety, and his diligence in the paftoral duty: as appeared afterwards, in their kind offices to his widow and orphan family.

The Reverend Meffrs. Riccarton and Gufthart particularly, took a most affectionate and friendly part in all their concerns. The former, a man of uncommon penetration and good taste, had very early discovered, through the rudenefs of young Thomson's puerile

effays, a fund of genius well deferving culture and encouragement. He undertook, therefore, with the father's approbation, the chief direction of his studies, furnished him with the proper books, corrected his performances; and was daily rewarded with the pleafure of seeing his labour so happily employed.

The other reverend gentleman, Mr. Gufthart, who is ftill living, one of the minifters of Edinburgh, and fenior of the Chapel Royal, was no less serviceable to Mrs. Thomson in the management of her little affairs; which, after the decease of her husband, burdened as she was with a family of nine children, required the prudent counfels and affistance of that faithful and generous friend.

Sir William Bennet likewife, well known for his gay humour and ready poetical wit, was highly delighted with our young poet, and used to invite him to pass the fummer vacation at his country feat: a scene of life which Mr. Thomson always remembered with particular pleasure. But what he wrote during that time, either to entertain Sir William and Mr. Riccarton, or for his own amusement, he destroyed every new year's day; committing his little pieces to the flames, in

* 1762.

their due order; and crowning the folemnity with a copy of verses, in which were humorously recited the feveral grounds of their condemnation.

After the ufual course of school education, under an able mafter at Jedburgh, Mr. Thomson was fent to the University of Edinburgh. But in the second year of his admiffion, his ftudies were for fome time interrupted by the death of his father; who was carried off fo fuddenly, that it was not poffible for Mr. Thomson, with all the diligence he could use, to receive his last bleffing. This affected him to an uncommon degree; and his relations still remember fome extraordinary inftances of his grief and filial duty on that occafion.

Mrs. Thomson, whofe maiden name was Hume, and who was co-heirefs of a small eftate in the country, did not fink under this misfortune. She confulted her friend Mr. Gufthart: and having, by his advice, mortgaged her moiety of the farm, repaired with her family to Edinburgh; where the lived in a decent, frugal manner, till her favourite fon had not only finifhed his academical course, but was even diftinguished and patronised as a man of genius. She was, herself, a person of uncommon natural endowments; poffeffed of every social and domestic virtue; with an imagination, for vivacity and warmth, scarce inferior

to her fon's, and which raised her devotional exercises to a pitch bordering on enthusiasm.

But whatever advantage Mr. Thomson might derive from the complexion of his parent, it is certain he owed much to a religious education; and that his early acquaintance with the facred writings contributed greatly to that fublime, by which his works will be for ever diftinguished. In his first pieces, the Seafons, we see him at once assume the majestic freedom of an Eaftern writer; feizing the grand images as they rife, cloathing them in his own expreffive language, and preferving, throughout, the grace, the variety, and the dignity, which belong to a just compofition; unhurt by the stiffness of formal method.

About this time, the study of poetry was become general in Scotland, the best English authors being univerfally read, and imitations of them attempted. Addison had lately displayed the beauties of Milton's immortal work; and his remarks on it, together with Mr. Pope's celebrated Effay, had opened the way to an acquaintance with the beft poets and critics.

But the most learned critic is not always the best judge of poetry; tafte being a gift of nature, the want of which, Ariftotle and Boffu cannot fupply; nor

even the study of the best originals, when the reader's faculties are not tuned in a certain confonance to those of the poet and this happened to be the cafe with certain learned gentlemen, into whose hands a few of Mr. Thomson's first essays had fallen. Some inaccuracies of style, and those luxuriancies which a young writer can hardly avoid, lay open to their cavils and cenfure; fo far indeed they might be competent judges: but the fire and enthusiasm of the poet had entirely escaped their notice. Mr. Thomson, however, confcious of his own ftrength, was not difcouraged by this treatment; efpecially as he had fome friends on whofe judgment he could better rely, and who thought very differently of his performances. Only, from that time, he began to turn his views towards London; where works of genius may always expect a candid reception and due encouragement; and an accident foon after entirely determined him to try his fortune there.

The divinity chair at Edinburgh was then filled by the reverend and learned Mr. Hamilton; a gentleman univerfally respected and beloved; and who had particularly endeared himself to the young divines under his care, by his kind offices, his candour and affability. Our author had attended his lectures for about a year,